Chapter 427 I'll Be With You

Sheng Sheng smiled and shook her head, saying, "How could that be? Actually, Father Emperor knew that Brother Pei Ji's character and abilities were worthy of making an exception for him. Brother Pei Ji has been in Yu for a long time. Father Emperor must think that if Brother Pei Ji were to become the emperor of Song one day, perhaps our friendship could also become a friendship between Yu and Song."

Pei Ji smiled but remained silent, while Xie Yunyang thought that what Sheng Sheng said actually made a lot of sense.

“That makes sense. Father has always valued the people and loved peace. If that’s the case, it does make sense.”

“However, Qingyang City is not in this direction. Brother Pei Ji, how did you come here? And who are these people?” Sheng Sheng asked.

By this time, Zhui Feng and his companions had already searched through the bodies of the Imperial Guards who had been killed. Apart from their Imperial Guard uniforms and weapons, they had nothing else on them.

Pei Ji did not hide anything and told the truth: "The Imperial Guards will not leave the capital. Although various forces are vying for power, no one would be so audacious as to send the Imperial Guards here. These people are impersonated by a certain force. Uncle Xiao and I tracked them all the way from Qingyang City to find out their identities. We just didn't expect to meet you here by such a coincidence."

"I see." Sheng Sheng nodded. "It seems you haven't figured out their identities yet."

"It's alright, it's not a big deal if we have to reveal our true colors now."

"oh oh."

Sheng Sheng listened to Pei Ji's riddle with a mixture of understanding and confusion. Ultimately, it was a matter for the Song Kingdom, and Sheng Sheng and the others were neither in a position to interfere nor particularly interested in doing so.

"Let's not talk about this anymore." Pei Ji paused, "Your Highnesses should change course and return to Qingyang City via the original route. Entering the pass this way might lead to some chaos."

Xie Yun listened to the advice; no one wanted to create trouble for themselves, so they quickly took the map and figured out a new route with Pei Ji.

It was getting late, and they had to get into Song territory before dark and find an inn to stay in.

This also means separation. Sheng Sheng subconsciously thought that Pei Ji was going to continue with his own business after hearing what he had just said.

After all, it's true that he can leave the palace, but it must be for a limited time. His father can't let him stay outside forever.

Sheng Sheng was a little reluctant, but then she thought that they were originally supposed to meet again in half a year, but now they had met ahead of schedule because of this accident, so she should be happy.

Then, with a bright and cheerful laugh, Sheng Sheng said to Pei Ji, "See you next time, Brother Pei Ji!"

Xie Yun-yang also said to him, "Young Master Pei, see you in the capital."

It seemed like a misperception, but she could still detect a hint of lightness in Xie Yun's tone.

“Who said we were leaving?” Pei Ji raised an eyebrow. “We’re also going to Qingyang City, we’re traveling the same way.”

Xie Yun: "What?"

Sheng Sheng: "Really!"

"Um."

Sheng Sheng immediately jumped up, grabbed Pei Ji's sleeve and shook it: "Great! Then we can eat Song Kingdom's osmanthus cake together on the way. I noticed last time I passed by in a hurry that Song Kingdom's osmanthus cake is a little different from Yu Kingdom's. This time I must try it carefully!"

Pei Ji's fingertips curled slightly as his gaze swept over her earlobes, which were reddened by the cool breeze. A faint smile appeared on his lips: "Okay."

Xie Yun frowned, surprised but not asking any further questions. He simply said in a deep voice, "Since that's the case, it's getting late, let's set off immediately."

The group quickly got everything in order, and the bloodstains on the carriage were cleaned up. Zijuan and Niu Qingru then helped to walk around the carriage with incense to make sure that the smell of blood had completely dissipated before they were relieved.

Taking advantage of this break, Sheng Sheng led Shi Tou to the river to wash his fur, and Pei Ji followed naturally.

Xiao Jiuzhu followed leisurely behind, glancing at the sounds of hopping and skipping ahead, and teased Pei Ji in a low voice: "You hostage, you're quite good at going with the flow."

Pei Ji's eyes darkened slightly as he glanced at the dark figure appearing at the end of the official road in the distance. He lowered his voice to a whisper, "Qingyang City is not peaceful. Their journey may not be safe."

Pei Ji spoke calmly. If Xiao Jiuzhu hadn't spent these days with him and gotten to know him, she would have really thought he was just worried about these few people.

Xiao Jiuzhu chuckled but didn't expose him.

The cool breeze of early spring swept by, carrying the scent of grass and trees. The hands that were carefully holding the stone cleaned him, completely unaware that the eyes of the two people behind him had fallen into the depths of the dense forest on both sides of the official road.

The next second, Xiao Jiuzhu's figure vanished without a trace.

Two barely audible sounds came from the shadows of the trees. Pei Ji glanced over and saw that the two dark figures hidden in the shadows had fallen silently.

Pei Ji's eyes were cold, but they warmed up when he looked back at Sheng Sheng.

Xiao Jiuzhu patted his sleeves, brushing away the remaining dust, and said with a disdainful tone, "These people are really like stubborn plasters that you can't shake off. They don't even realize they've already been exposed, yet they're still foolishly tracking us. Little do they know, they themselves are the prey being chased."

"Let them chase. After all, they've been planning this for so long, and now their plans have been disrupted by someone like me, whom they've never taken seriously before. They must be furious... Fourth Brother."

Pei Ji's expression remained calm and composed, with a faint smile still playing on his lips. Before his eyes completely darkened, he knelt down beside Sheng Sheng and picked up the stone with his other hand.

"I'll help you."

Without a shred of doubt, she replied, "Okay!"

Sheng Sheng earnestly taught him how to clean Shi Tou's claws, making sure not to miss a single speck of dirt from between the claws.

Pei Ji studied carefully, nodding as he listened to the rambling incessantly.

The babbling brook flows over the bluestone, reflecting the sunlight and shattering into silvery scales.

Pei Ji dipped his fingertips in water and gently stroked the stone's furry paw pads, his movements so meticulous that it seemed like he was doing it for the first time.

“Here, here.” Sheng Sheng pointed to the gaps between the claws on tiptoe, “Last time, Shi Tou stepped into a mud pit and hid a lot of dirt, which made it keep scratching its legs.”

Upon hearing this, Pei Ji used his thumb and forefinger to gently scrape away the dirt, his smile deepening: "I'll listen to you, I won't leave a single speck of dirt."

“Brother Pei Ji learns so fast!” Sheng Sheng’s eyes sparkled as she squatted beside him, her little hands busy gently combing Stone’s fur. “Before, no one helped me wash Stone’s paws. Although Stone was friendly to others, he always felt that washing his paws was the most intimate thing, and I had to do it myself.”

At this point, Sheng Sheng smiled and said, "Perhaps it's because Yan Hu really likes Brother Pei Ji, and Shi Tou has always regarded Yan Hu as his older brother, so Shi Tou doesn't resist Brother Pei Ji."

Pei Ji listened intently, his fingertips moving constantly, his voice gentle: "If you want to wash in the future, I'll accompany you."

She looked up and met his smiling eyes, a question lingering in her mind.

Strange, is it because we haven't seen each other for so long? It seems like Brother Pei Ji has grown up a lot all of a sudden.

The bright and cheerful young man I first met still had a touch of naivety in his eyes.

But now, as he squats by the stream, his back is still straight, and the movements of his fingertips are still steady and gentle, yet something feels different.

What's that phrase that adults often say again?

It has grown up.

Could it be that Brother Pei Ji has grown up?

That's not right either, but Pei Ji has always been so handsome.